Youthnet NEWS Issue 12
Youthnet NEWS 012 12/ /94
Jennie S. Finch N9SAK
Alexis M. Leynes N9KYJ
Topics:
- Communication Museum Review: Antique Wireless Association
- Dayton Amateur Radio Association Scholarship awardee's are...
- Santa Ham on the bands this holiday season
- Fox Hunting Supplemental
- International Packet Youth Forum on AMPRNet still meets
- CQ Magazine Celebrates 50th anniversary
Antique Wireless Association
In Bloomfield, NY, in a building built over a hundred and fifty years ago, the Antique Wireless Association has a museum. One that tells the story of the discovery and development of radio and television. The association houses thousands of other related items in their annex building, also located in Bloomfield.
The Antique Wireless Association was founded in 1952 by Mr. Bruce Kelly and two other gentlemen. It was founded to preserve the history of the use, discovery, and improvements of television, radio, and other communications equipment. It is a non-profit organization, and is one of the few museums in the world to preserve so much radio and T.V. history. The Antique Wireless Association now has almost 5,000 members worldwide. The collection for the museum started out as a tube collection Mr. Kelly had acquired. After World War 2, he became the chairman for a hamfest, and took his collection, which consisted of a lot of tubes and a few radios, to the hamfest. People were extremely interested in them, and donations of old equipment came rolling in. The museum building was a schoolhouse, built in 1838. The museum opened to the public in 1972.
The museum contains priceless and rare pieces. One of these pieces is a complete Marconi ship transmitter/receiver set like the one that was on the Titanic. They also have a replica of a 1926 radio store, complete with stock items and displays. A part of the first Armstrong FM transmitter is also there, as well as the first portable camera, made by RCA in 1936-37. There are two facsimile machines from 1938-39, one made by RCA, and one made by a man named Finch in New Jersey. Also there is an old spark transmitter (It's very loud!!). The museum owns two old spark transmitters, one at the museum, and the other one at the annex.
The museum annex, a warehouse building near the museum, is the headquarters for the museum. This building contains the library, a key room which contains hundreds of old and rare keys, including the key that sent the message from Johnstown right before the flood, and hundreds of old radios. The key room also houses a morse code typewriter, which sends code as you type the keys. For example, if you hit A, it would send a dot and a dash. The library is climate-controlled, and some books and magazines are quite old. There are ARRL Handbooks dating back to 1926, and a complete set of QST Magazines from 1929-1968. Also there are repair books, catalogs, and other similar books. The annex is also the home of over 60,000 vacuum tubes!
The annex also houses military radios. They have World War 1 airplane transmitters, a World War 1 trench radio set, and a World War 2 spy transmitter, used by men dropped behind the enemy lines. The annex houses the largest receiver in the world, which is 7 feet by 7 feet. It was made for RCA. The A.W.A. owns the only existing one.
The annex and museum are used for shows. Ken Burns (PBS documentary maker. He made Baseball and The Civil War.) uses the A.W.A. library and equipment for research and sounds. Books are researched there, as well as magazine articles. Pictures for the books and magazines are also taken here.
Mr. Kelly said the 99% of the items the museum owns are donated. Most were donated back in the 50's when old radio equipment did not have the value it has now. The museum loans equipment to several museums, including the Ford Science Museum.
School groups do tour the museum, mostly 5th graders. Mr. Kelly said that most weren't interested in the history, just in seeing how things worked. He said that teen hams visit sometimes, usually with their parents. He also said the teen hams are more interested than other teens.
The museum is located in Bloomfield, NY, and is open from May to October on Sundays. It is extremely interesting, and I would recommend that anyone who lives around here or is coming to visit around here make time for the Antique Wireless Association Museum. Also, it's free!
I would like to thank Mr. Bruce Kelly, W2ICE, for his time and help about the museum and A.W.A., and I would also like to thank Mr. William Finch (my dad), AA2SW, for his time, help, and chauffeur services!
Written by Jennie S. Finch N9SAK
Founder Youthnet NEWS
Dayton Amateur Radio Association Scholarships
Last June, The Dayton Amateur Radio Association had awarded 8 young hams across the nation with its scholarship. The DARA Scholarship program is open to any FCC licensed amateur radio operator from High School in 1994 or any current DARA scholarship recipient. There are no restrictions on the course of study planned by the student, nor do they need to be planning on a four year baccalaureate degree. However the schools awarding associate degrees or any technical institution selected must be accredited. Applications for the DARA scholarship may be requested by sending a self addressed stamped envelope to DARA Scholarship committee, 45 Cinnamon Court, Springboro OH 45066-1000. Applications should be returned no later than May 15, 1994. The 1994 recipients are:
Dwight A. Harris, Jr. N0NTM. Dwight is from Fairfield, Iowa and attends Maharishi International University. Dwight holds a Technician class license. He is studying in the areas of Biology and Biochemistry.
Jerry A. Hensley, Jr., N8HUT, Jerry is from New Paris, OH and attends Wright State University. Jerry holds a general class license and will be studying in the areas of rehabilitation education and adaptive technology. Jerry received the Charles G. Frye Memorial Scholarship.
Stefnee S. Lindberg, N0ONP. Stefnee is from Kansas City, Missouri and plans to attend the University of Missouri at Columbia. Stefnee holds an Advance class license and will be studying computer engineering.
Sadie A. Pairitz, KB9CGX. Sadie is from Walkerton, Indiana and will attend Ambassador College. Sadie holds a General class license and will be studying in the area of computer informational systems.
Douglas P. Regulinski, N2QAN. Douglas is from Stony Brook, New York and will attend Cornell University. Douglas holds an Extra class license and will be studying in the area of plant sciences. Dave is the recipient of the Dave Beam Memorial Scholarship.
Samantha L. Sheffield, KD4AMZ. Samantha is from Trenton, Tennessee and will attend the University of Tennessee. Samantha's area of study is pre-law.
Erik J. Shook, KF8DF. Eric is from Jackson, Michigan and plans to attend Michigan State University. Eric holds an Extra class license and will study electrical engineering. Eric is the recipient of the Robert F. Zimmerman Memorial Scholarship.
Congratulations to this years recipients of the DARA scholarship, and good luck.
Santa Ham is on the bands this season
Lou Hoekstra, W1TRB, better know as Santa Ham is on the air this weekend. He has been firing up his multi band radio for the past 11 years at this time of year to speak to anyone who wants to talk with Santa. His signal originates from Christmas, Florida. He will be active from December 22 to 24 this year on the following frequencies:
7.225 to 7.300; 14.225 to 14.300; and 32.330 Mhz and up all USB.
Lou, I mean Santa likes it when he talks to children who aren't able to go home this holiday season (like if they are stuck in the hospital). And as a closing, last year, Santa Ham was able to contact stations from Bethlehem and Nazareth, PA.
Fox Hunting Supplemental
Last YN report (number 011), I sent out a bulletin on fox hunting. From the last few hunts I went out the past few weeks; I came up with these additional pieces of advice. Bring another set of clothing, you will never know when you'll get wet or very dirty. A whistle in case you are stuck in an awkward position. Test your equipment before going off to a hunt. Remember where you or your companion parked the car, and the most important of all, know that Murphy's laws are in effect at all times during a hunt. If you have any more additional things to say, send it to us and we'll post it here.
International Packet Youth Forum
Yes, the International Packet Youth Forum (IPYF) Still meets on AMPRNet channel 14, but at a new time of Monday 0200 UTC (Sunday 9:00 pm Eastern Time). We will meet unless there are any node problems at our end or at the N8FOW node. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Richard KF9VP for being net control of the IPYF for the past few weeks during my absence or through node problems.
CQ Magazine celebrates 50th anniversary in '95.
World renowned amateur radio magazine CQ will be celebrating its 50th anniversary next year. Complete information will be in edition 013 (later this week).
Final Note:
If you are wondering why the frequency of Youthnet NEWS (YN) posting is not as frequent as it was, you are not alone. YN survives from reports I receive and bump into. Unfortunately, not a lot of people has been sending in any articles or info. The purpose of Youthnet NEWS (YN) is to keep other young (and old) hams informed on ham radio and related topics that affect them or of interest. YN is about ham radio related news and topics. For YN to survive, we need your input. I become very worried if nothing arrives on my mailboxes (packet, snail mail, and E-mail) after I send out a YN article or report. If you want to become a part of YN please send me or Jennie a message. Also I would like to thank the many hams who download these YN reports from packet and the Internet Usenet Newsgroups and transfer it, to their local BBS's or news letters. If you are doing this, please send me a message.
73's DE Alex, Jennie, Richard and thanks to those who have contributed to Youthnet NEWS in the past 6 months.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
Youthnet NEWS is an amateur radio informational service for the young radio amateur operator. All Rights are reserved 1994
Phone: (708) 612-9306
Packet: N9KYJ @ W9ZMR.IL.USA.NOAM
E-mail: aln9kyj@mcs.com
